Lynd did not stay in Miracle Harbor for long. After handling so affairs there, he went to the location chosen by the Cannibal for its lair.
The lair was situated on the east side of Miracle Harbor, not far from the Redemption Sept.
Lynd had a temporary camp built in the area, assigning a team to care for the Cannibal while also ensuring that no one accidentally wandered into the territory and fell victim to its attacks.
He had no intention of keeping the Cannibal stationed in Miracle Harbor permanently. Soon, when he set out for the Stepstones, he planned to take the Cannibal with him. After unifying the Stepstones, he would relocate its lair to Godsgrace Island, where it would serve as a guardian alongside the alliance of the three sea monsters.
As for the Cannibal itself, Lynd did not give it many instructions. He rely brought a few high-ranking figures from Miracle Harbor to et it, trusting that, with its current level of intelligence, it would understand what was permissible and what was not.
The next day, he departed from Miracle Harbor and returned to the Town of Redemption. However, before leaving, he instructed Wyeth and the others to begin preparations for the upcoming expedition to the Stepstones.
Rather than taking the Boneway back to Redemption City, Lynd chose to travel via the Red Guard River Valley, using the opportunity to inspect Red Guard Castle along with its surrounding farms and mines.
While taking a shortcut, he also made a stop at the Black Cave to check on its operations, assess the progress of potion production, and deal with Qyburn’s affairs—lifting the restrictions that had been placed on him.
Six months earlier, an exploration of the Black Cave had revealed deeper caverns within, as well as an underground passage leading beyond the mountain. Following this discovery, Lynd oversaw further expansion of the site, relocating the original pharmaceutical workshop there and increasing the number of maesters conducting alchemical research to fifty. These scholars focused on refining raw dicinal solutions. Additionally, over a thousand pharmaceutical workers were involved in the production process, though they were stationed in workshops outside the Town of Redemption rather than within the Black Cave itself.
To ensure the security of the facility, Lynd assigned the Silent n—holy man from the Redemption Sept who had undergone rigorous trials and demonstrated absolute faith and loyalty—to oversee operations inside the cave. anwhile, five hundred fully ard Chosen Ones stood guard outside, guaranteeing the site's impenetrability.
Once his restrictions were lifted, Qyburn’s first request was for Lynd to hand over three septons who had failed the trials of the Faith of the Seven and had beco living dead. He believed he might be able to restore their ability to fight.
This proposal reminded Lynd of Qyburn’s abilities as described in the books and shows of his previous life. After so deliberation, he agreed to Qyburn’s request. However, since this matter concerned the Redemption Sept, and given that all affairs within the Black Cave had been entrusted to Malora, Lynd could only offer his suggestion—Qyburn himself would have to convince the two involved.
Because of this, despite his eagerness to return to his laboratory and resu his interrupted experints, Qyburn had no choice but to suppress his impatience. He temporarily left the Black Cave to accompany Lynd back to the Town of Redemption.
Before setting out from Miracle Harbor, Lynd had instructed Wyeth to send a ssage to Nyria, informing her of his return route. As a result, just after leaving the Black Cave, he encountered a welcoming party waiting for him at the Red Watch shortcut post.
Nyria had wanted to co in person, but being pregnant made travel difficult and dangerous. If soone wished to see Lynd’s bloodline eliminated, an ambush along the way was always a possibility. No matter how well-protected she was, traveling outside the safety of the Town of Redemption or Sumrhall Castle would be a significant risk. If anything happened, they would not even have the chance to regret it.
Thus, Mus, the steward of Sumrhall, had co in her place, bringing only a small escort—just enough to ensure his own safety.
"Has the situation in the Town of Redemption really gotten this bad?" Lynd asked in a low voice after hearing Mus's report.
Mus replied with a serious expression, "Ever since Lady Nyria announced her pregnancy, the number of wandering knights, rcenaries, and freeriders in Tumbleton has doubled. They all claim to have co to serve you, but since you were still missing at the ti, we had no way of verifying their true intentions. Additionally, various lords seeking to strengthen their ties with us have sent envoys to establish liaison offices in the Town of Redemption, bringing quite a number of people with them. Whether they have ulterior motives remains uncertain for now.”
"The biggest issue is that, on the surface, they all abide by the rules you set. Even if we suspect so of them, we have no grounds to expel or arrest them."
Lynd could easily sense the impact of his sudden disappearance during the battle with the sea dragon. From Mus’s words, it was clear how deeply unsettled everyone had been—so much so that they now viewed every outsider who had arrived in the Town of Redemption during this ti as a potential assassin with ill intent.
It was this paranoia that had led them to take action in his absence, executing his plan to unify the Prince's Pass by consolidating all available forces within the territory and securing the mountain in a short period. They had sought to demonstrate their strength—much like a hedgehog curling up and bristling its quills at a perceived threat.
Because of this difference in perspective, Lynd did not see these outsiders as a direct threat. However, he didn’t dismiss Mus’s concerns either. Instead, after a mont of thought, he said, "Those wandering knights, rcenaries, and freeriders claim they want to join my domain and serve , don’t they? Recruit them all and send them to the barracks for training. Whether they have hidden agendas or truly seek to pledge their loyalty, I will find a use for them in the future.”
"As for the liaison offices, as long as they follow the rules, they can stay. Now that I’ve returned, if anyone is plotting sothing, they would do well to consider whether they can withstand my wrath."
Mus straightened his posture and responded firmly, "Understood, my lord. I know what to do."
...
By the ti Lynd returned to Sumrhall, it was already late at night. Apart from Glory, who sensed his return and ran out to greet him in the outskirts, his arrival in the Town of Redemption went largely unnoticed. It wasn’t until the next morning, when he summoned the officials of Sumrhall for a eting at the castle, that the people of the town learned of his return.
In reality, there were no urgent matters to handle at the eting. During his absence, Nyria, Mus, and the other officials had managed affairs exceptionally well—perhaps even better than he would have himself.
The primary purpose of gathering everyone at the castle was simply to make his return known, stabilizing the unrest that had built up in his absence. It also served as a quiet warning to those with ambitions—reminding them to act wisely. Those who needed to withdraw should do so, and those who needed to bow their heads should lower them accordingly.
After a brief discussion with his officials, Lynd adjourned the eting. As the attendees left the castle, news of his return quickly spread throughout the town.
...
"Sorry for making you worry," Lynd said suddenly as he and Nyria walked through the castle’s small courtyard. They had reached a balcony overlooking the entire Town of Redemption when he spoke, his voice tinged with apology.
Nyria was taken aback, montarily surprised by his words. Then she chuckled, resting a hand on her slightly rounded belly. "It’s fine. Over the past days, I’ve started to understand why my mother used to act so strangely whenever that man went to war. Back then, I resented her for it. Now I realize I was just being childish."
Lynd frowned slightly at her words, then seed to co to a decision. A look of resolve crossed his face as he took her hand and said, "This afternoon, I’m going to the Redemption Sept. You should co with . Let’s get married while we’re at it."
Nyria froze, needing a mont to process what he had just said. Then she smiled and simply answered, "Alright."
...
Just as Lynd's proposal was straightforward, Nyria’s acceptance was equally simple. Their wedding was held at the Redemption Sept, officiated by Sister lessa, who wore the ceremonial robes of a Septon. The two exchanged their vows in a modest ceremony.
Though the ritual itself was simple, the number of witnesses was not. In addition to the officials from Sumrhall and Tumbleton, the heads of noble families who had established liaison offices in the Town of Redemption were also present, bearing witness to their union.
But what made the ceremony truly unique was what happened afterward. As soon as the couple finished exchanging their vows, the Stone Giants began to sing an ancient hymn. As their voices resonated through the Sept, a golden light descended from the sky, piercing through the seven-pointed star stained glass. It passed through the statues of the Seven before settling upon Lynd and Nyria.
The scene was nothing short of divine.
It felt as though the Seven themselves were blessing their marriage. The sacred radiance filled the Sept with an overwhelming sense of awe, compelling everyone present to kneel, reciting the prayers of the Seven and offering their blessings to the newlywed couple.
For the officials of Sumrhall and Tumbleton, Lynd and Nyria’s official marriage was a great relief.
Though the legitimacy of Nyria’s unborn child had already been recognized by the church, the fact remained that she and Lynd had not been formally wed. As a result, the child was still technically a bastard, which could pose a potential obstacle to its future inheritance of their territories.
Now that Lynd and Nyria were legally husband and wife, they had eliminated the only real vulnerability surrounding the child's legitimacy. This, in turn, brought greater stability to both domains.
Lynd and Nyria had intended for their wedding to be a simple affair, and compared to the extravagant ceremonies of most great lords and nobles, theirs was indeed minimal. However, not everyone thought simplicity was best.
The people of Sumrhall and Tumbleton took it upon themselves to organize celebrations, while congratulatory gifts from noble lords across Westeros and beyond continued to arrive for over a month. From the Prince of the Sumr Isles in the far south to the Night's Watch on the Wall in the far north, from the Triarch of Volantis in the east, and many more, the influx of gifts filled the castle’s warehouses to the brim.
Among them, the most valuable was a Valyrian steel battle-axe, a gift from the Triarch of Volantis.
What surprised Lynd the most, however, was a gift from the House of Black and White in Braavos—a set of statues depicting the Lion of Night and the Maiden-Made-of-Light, intricately carved from black stone.
For those familiar with the tale of the Lion of Night, the statues were more than just exquisite works of art; they carried a symbolic blessing. According to legend, the Lion of Night and the Maiden-Made-of-Light bore the God-on-Earth, who ruled the Great Empire of the Dawn for ten thousand years before ascending to the heavens as a celestial star.
The aning behind the statues was unmistakable. After learning about the mythology, Nyria beca especially fond of them. Once they were tested for any hidden dangers, she had them placed in their castle bedchamber.
Still, Lynd’s officials were perplexed as to why the House of Black and White had sent him such an extravagant gift. Sumrhall had little direct contact with Braavos, and the House of Black and White—an institution of great secrecy and influence—had never interacted with them before. By all logic, they should have had no reason to acknowledge Lynd and Nyria’s marriage at all.
Only Lynd knew the truth. The one who had sent the statues was likely the young girl he had once saved. By now, she must have risen to a position of significant influence within the House of Black and White—otherwise, there was no way they would have sent such a priceless offering.
...
Originally, Lynd had planned to rest in the Town of Redemption for a few days, deal with its affairs, and then set out for the Stepstones to complete their unification.
However, after seeing Nyria’s slightly rounded belly, he realized there was no real urgency. There was no need to rush the conquest of the Stepstones—he would wait until after the child was born to proceed.
Though he had postponed the invasion, Lynd did not remain idle. He ordered Hollis to relocate the Miracle Fleet’s main base to Godsgrace City in the Stepstones, leaving only a portion of the fleet behind to patrol the Dornish Sea and maintain security. He also made a trip to Miracle Harbor to inform the Cannibal, instructing it to assist the sub-fleet in enforcing order in the Dornish Sea.
Over the following months, the Cannibal eliminated more than a dozen pirate bands from the Stepstones. These pirates had hoped to exploit the temporary absence of the Miracle Fleet to plunder the coast, but none of them ever made it back. However, they did not end up in the Cannibal’s stomach either—they were captured and sent to the Black Cave, where they beca test subjects.
With such a steady influx of test subjects, so of Malora’s more ambitious alchemical theories began to materialize. Among them, the one that most caught Lynd’s interest was a hypnotic substance known as the Loyalty Potion.
This potion had not been Lynd’s idea, but rather a request from Sister lessa and Elder Colin. They believed that the process of deepening the devotion of the Motherhouse’s holy sisters and monastery monks through daily prayer was far too slow. They wanted Malora to develop a potion that could accelerate religious fervor among their followers.
As it happened, Lynd had recently ntioned the use of dical anesthetics to Malora, and she had rged the two concepts. After extensive testing on captured test subjects, the Loyalty Potion was finally created.
Its potency was undeniable. One particularly zealous follower of the Lord of Light had, within just ten days, been entirely converted into a fanatical devotee of the Seven.
However, the potion was not without its drawbacks. Its most severe flaw was that those who consud it would fall into an incurable state of madness, displaying symptoms akin to schizophrenia.
By conventional standards, this would render the potion a failure. However, when combined with the undead who had failed the trials of the Seven, the Loyalty Potion beca sothing else entirely—sothing even more critical to Lynd’s plans than the Seven Gods Potion itself.
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